The Black Kämpfer
by Visicury
Summary: A currently discontinued fanfiction re-uploaded by the request of another.
1. The Arrival of the Black Kämpfer

This fan fiction is written as an AR (alternate reality) that explores a different type of Kämpfer.

What if Kämpfers were more prominent in the world? What if Natsuru was not as thickheaded and narrow-minded about his choices? And what if he was chosen as the one and only Black Kämpfer, whose objective was to oppose the rule of the Moderators and forever stop their control over the Proxy Wars? This work attempts to share a storyline more focused on the Kämpfer battles and Natsuru's decisions than the original. Of course, if there were no pairings I might as well not write a fan-fiction for this so… harem? There will be several OCs in the later chapters, by the way.

NOTE: This is purely a work of fan-fiction and is in no way claiming ownership to any of its original characters.

**Chapter 1: The Arrival of the Black Kämpfer**

Senou Natsuru stared at the doll that sat before him. It was furry and had large, rounded ears drooping at the sides of its head. Fake canine teeth extruded from its open mouth. Any normal person would consider it a 'dog'. But what animal it was wasn't the question on his mind at the moment. What as more important was how the hell did it enter his house, his room even?

"Hello, my name is Food-Deprived Dog from the Entrails Animals series," said a voice. He glanced about the room; the closet was shut, the windows were shut, the doors were shut, and there was nothing under his bed. The voice spoke again, this time in a slightly agitated tone. "I said hello, my name is Food-Deprived Dog from the Entrails Animals series."

A movement caught his eyes as he stared at thing before him. Well, more specifically, the doll's movement. "I said my name is Food-Deprived Dog. Are you there, Natsuru-san?"

Food-Deprived Dog…? Is that related to inugami? Why is its head still on? He caught himself and shook his head of such trivial thoughts, turning his attention back to the doll before him. Not that anyone else would have such a level head after encountering a moving, and apparently talking stuffed animal.

"No, no, I don't really care about your name or what you are as an Entrails Animal," he said with a hand on his face. Although she might be interested, he had absolutely no care about that creepy franchise.

"You should be honored. The fact that I'm here means that you're the one and only Black Kämpfer." That word caught his attention. Kämpfer, it said. As in those chicks that fight day and night with swords, guns, and magic bolts? And now that he, Natsuru Senou, is a Kämpfer now? But wait, what's a black Kämpfer?

"Okay, Mr. Food-Deprived Dog. Let me get this straight. You're saying I've become a Kämpfer. A Black Kämpfer," he repeated. "But the problem is there are only Red, Blue, and White Kämpfers." As if reading his mind, Food-Deprived Dog pointed its hand at the boy's arm. "That wristband you're wearing is Black; therefore you are a Black Kämpfer, Natsuru-san," it said, adding a "duh" right after.

Natsuru looked at where it was pointing and, sure enough, there was a shiny black band around his wrist. He tried to tug it off and after a few tries decided the only way to remove it was to lose his hand. "Hmm… this is bad," he muttered. Food-Deprived Dog nodded its head in agreement. "Yeah, you're gonna be risking it, taking on the Moderators alone."

Natsuru paused for a moment. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN TAKE ON THE MODERATORS?" he shouted at the doll, though what it meant seemed quite obvious. To take on the White Kämpfers like that was purely idiotic; not only did they possess multiple attacks, but she was a White Kämpfer as well. To take on the Moderators would mean he would have to defeat her. And considering what happens to defeated Kämpfers, he did not want that to happen.

"A Black Kämpfer is a person chosen to stop the Proxy War," said Food-Deprived Dog as it rubbed its ears. "They are not official Kämpfers, so the rules don't apply to them." Natsuru tilted his head a bit questioningly. "Ara, rules? What rules?" All it seemed to him was wild fighting, after all.

Food-Deprived Dog cleared its throat before it spoke, as if preparing for a long speech. "Well, for one, since the Moderators did not create your wristband, you won't transform to a girl." Natsuru felt relief upon hearing those words, as he had tensed up a second ago under the assumption that he had to become a girl. Who knows what kinds of trouble would come with him being a girl?

"And…? What else?" he urged on. He didn't know all Kämpfers were girls by requirement. It would be nice to see Kanji's expression if he found out some of the Kämpfers he was researching about turned out to be men. Food-Deprived Dog paused for a moment before continuing. "I'd tell you, but it'd be more fun for you to find out yourself," it said with a laugh.

Natsuru walked down the street to the bus stop, muttering to himself about useless dogs. After he had thrown the Entrails Animal into the waste basket in his room, his question began bothering him even more. "Rules… rules… what rules?" he asked himself with a frown on his face.

He had easily accepted the idea of him becoming a Kämpfer. It was not known whether or not you exactly when you might get selected, or if you would get selected at all. The people at school who had been chosen before did not make it such a big deal. They kept coming to school, participate in their battles, and even help with cleaning up after their bouts. He's also never heard of prejudice simply because another is on the opposite side. Certainly, everyone would image themselves as either a Red or Blue at least once in their life.

Natsuru wore a black long-sleeve shirt underneath his summer uniform. It covered the wristband well enough, though a bulge would still show. If he was questioned, he'd just say it was a western fashion he decided to try. If he was a Red or Blue, he'd have to join their club at school, but since he was a Black one, he was certain to hide it.

At least until he learns of these "rules."

As he reached the bus stop, the figure of a brown-haired girl caught his eyes. She turned her head and looked at him with her bright emerald eyes before giving him a cheerful smile. "Good morning, Natsuru-san," she said.

"Good morning, Sakura-san," he said with a slight bow. His eyes caught onto the pure white object she wore on her right wrist. Yes, she was without a doubt a White Kämpfer. He looked away and waited for the bus.

"C'mon, Natsuru-san, let's take the bus together."

"S-Sure," he answered with only a bit of discomfort. This nice, pretty, and innocent Kaede Sakura was supposed to be his target as a Black Kämpfer? Even the mere thought made him believe that he would go to Hell for just thinking of it. There was no way he could hurt her or any other girl for that matter.

"Are you okay, Natsuru-san? You seem to be uncomfortable," she asked worriedly. She looked down on the ground with both her hands holding her bag in front of her. "Am I that bad to be around?"

"N-No, that's not it. It's just that I've got a lot on my mind." True that. He just can't bear to say something like, "Sakura-san, I'm a Black Kämpfer, so now I've got to fight you," or something similar. She smiled. "Really…? Then that's good." Ah… she sounded to alluring for a moment there.

"Ara…? Natsuru-san, why are you wearing that shirt?" She gently tugged at his left side long-sleeve with a questioning look on her face. "Ah, I saw this on the internet and thought it would be nice to try it out," he lied. Though he did see it once on the internet, he had no interest in trying it, especially in summer. The only reason he did was because he had to hide his wristband.

"Hmm… I see." Thank god the bus came then, or she could have prodded into the matter even further.

"Natsuru!" called Kanji as he made his way to the blue-haired boy's desk. "What's this I hear about you coming to school with Kaede? You could be going to Toudai for Christ sake!" He slammed his hands onto Natsuru's desk, earning him an irritated glare from him. "ANSWER ME!"

"SHUT UP! THERE ISN'T ANYTHING BETWEEN US! GET OFF MY DAMNED BACK!"

Ah, he snapped. Kanji pulled himself off the neighboring desk. "Good," he said while dusting himself off. "If you ever tainted her image like that, then not only will I hunt you down, but so would the rest of the male population."

A boy near the window called to the rest of the class. "Oi, everyone, they're fighting again!" The rest of the class rushed and huddled at the windows to watch, including Kanji and Natsuru. The trail of students that were coming to school dispersed; some who were closer to the school dashed inside, avoiding the Kämpfers, while those near the gates decided it was better to be late.

Down below, the figure of several girls were locked in combat in the middle of the school courtyard. There were five Blues and three Reds this morning; it was most likely an ambush. From where he was watching, the Reds seemed desperate to escape from their opponents.

"Go, Minagawa-sama!" cheered several of the guys.

The Blue Kämpfer known as Minagawa Hitomi smirked and threw energy bolts at the Reds as they turned to flee. It hit the ground with a large explosion, sending dust and debris around them. Natsuru was able to hear gunfire and the noise of swords clashing and the occasional movement from within in the cloud. Kanji frowned as he lowered his camera, which he had used to take pictures of the Kämpfer below.

"Damn it… can you see anything, Natsuru?" he asked with a frustrated expression.

"No," lied Natsuru as his eyes followed the trail of movements in the dust. From what he could tell, there were two Schwerts, two Gewehrs, and Minagawa Hitomi fighting against three Red Gewehrs. His eyes moved up near the gates, where he saw a few students peeking out to watch what they can.

The dust finally cleared, revealing the three defeated Red Kämpfers on the ground.

A chorus of cheers and shouts erupted from the students in the school, voicing their opinions on the battle in a mesh of noise. Several people rushed out of the school to carry the Red Kämpfers inside. The Blues stood and enjoyed their momentary victory, waving at their fans as they, too, entered the school. Several of Natsuru's classmates rushed downstairs to greet their idols. Kanji pulled Natsuru by the arm. "C'mon, Natsuru!" he shouted as he left. With a sigh, Natsuru followed a few steps behind him.

When they reached the first floor, they were rather astonished to find it packed with students of both genders struggling to catch a glimpse of the Kämpfers. From his elevation on the staircase, he could see the only clearing in the crowd where the Blues were. He was initially not very interested in meeting them, and now, after seeing this immense blockade of students, was even more uninterested.

Kanji leapt into the fray with his camera at hand, eager to take come close-ups of the Blues. "Damn it, get out of my way!" he yelled as he pushed through. If the prize was the opportunity to see a bishoujo, he'd go through all the gauntlets in Annihilation Nation and even Dreadzone.

Whatever… he thought to himself as he turned and went back up the stairs. It wasn't like he wanted to go to class, but his seat was considerably more comfortable than the steps of the staircase. As he walked back up, he heard the steps of someone else and looked up.

"Ara, Sakura-san? What are you doing here?" he asked as the brown-haired girl came down the steps.

She looked at him with surprise for a moment. "Ah, hello Natsuru-san," she said politely. "I was on the roof watching what happened. The boy's side has a better view, so…" Ah, that's was it. A Moderator is required to oversee the battles between Kämpfers, so it was a no-brainer that Sakura would oversee the ones here, as she was the only known White Kämpfer in the school. She decided to return a question.

"And what are you doing here, Natsuru-san? Aren't you interested in seeing Hitomi-chan and her comrades?" she asked coyly. He glanced away to avoid blushing at her expression.

"Er, no… I'm uh– not very interested in this Kämpfer business," he lied.

Actually, he was very interested in it, but not as much with the Reds and Blues. Sakura stared at him for a moment, as if she had just heard something strange. Natsuru stood there nervously. Did I say something wrong, he thought. He was surprised to see her smile rather cutely.

"Aw, Natsuru-san, don't be like that~" With that, she took his hand and began pulling him back downstairs. The blue-haired boy blushed and followed her. He was actually about to resist, but considering the way she smiled at him and the fact that he was holding Sakura's hand, he decided to go.

As the two reached the first floor, a few heads turned to see one of the school's idols come down the stairs with Natsuru in tow. At that moment, enough hearts broke to make Cupid have to work overtime. Those who had turned away from the Kämpfers began muttering unhappily amongst themselves, a majority of them male students.

Kanji looked behind him at that moment to check whether or not Natsuru was following him. His jaw dropped when he saw him with Sakura and began calling him. "Natsuru, you bastard!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Let go of Sakura-sama now!" He began pushing back to the staircase, which had become crowded because of the idol's presence.

Natsuru looked at the angry mob of students nervously as Sakura made her way through, oblivious to the shower of death threats, hostile glares, and crying students behind her. It's not like I want to hold her hand… he thought as he looked from left to right. Especially if half the school would come after me like I'm a witch or something.

Sakura and Natsuru made their way to the green-haired Kämpfer, the latter fending off his classmates with his free hand. She didn't let go of him after they got into the clearing, much to his surprise. "Hitomi-chan~" she called as she leapt at the Blue Kämpfer. "That was a great battle out there! Good job!"

The green-haired girl nodded.

"Yeah, that was a flawless victory, if I do say so myself," she said confidently. Her green eyes caught the sight of the blue-haired boy behind the White Kämpfer, who was still being held in her grasp. "Say, Sakura-san… who's that behind you?" she asked inquisitively. "Ah, is he your boyfriend?" she asked, surprised but sure that was the case. They were holding hands after all, right?

Sakura looked back at Natsuru and blushed, realizing that she was still holding the boy's hand, and quickly let go. The rest of the student population that had heard the question gasped in horror. Natsuru stood stiff by the question, worrying about his skin now that the seething glares of his classmates fell upon him instead of her reply. "N-N-N-No!" she answered. "W-W-Why would I have someone like Natsuru-san as my b-boyfriend?"

If words could kill, he would've died about seven times from that single statement. His classmates who had heard her answer stopped their glares and looked at Natsuru with pity. He was rejected and didn't even confess. He sulked as they continued their conversation.

Kanji finally made his way into the clearing and saw his friend with a crestfallen expression on his face. He saw Sakura and Hitomi beside him and immediately took out his camera. "Ah, my name is Higashida Kanji," he said with a bow. He held up his camera. "May I have a few pictures of the victor of the battle?" Good ol' Kanji, never missing the chance to take a few photos despite the situation.

"HITOMI!" shouted a rather loud voice.

A few gunshots were made outside the school, attracting the attention of the Blue and White Kämpfer. Natsuru looked up sluggishly and caught sight of a red-haired girl standing outside. She had a red-bracelet and a black gun, which meant that she was a Red Gewehr Kämpfer.

"HITOMI, GET YER ASS OUT HERE!" she hollered, firing her weapon several more times into the sky.

They crowd departed as they made their way back outside. Kanji caught a glimpse of her as he stepped out. "Akane Mishima," he muttered, reciting the name from memory. "She's a new Kämpfer on the Red side and uses a Gewehr item. I heard she's pretty foul-mouthed, but is really strong and pretty cute, too." Natsuru didn't even bother to shrug; he was simply too depressed to care.

"YA BITCH!" shouted Akane as she pointed her gun at Hitomi. "YA GOT THE GUTS TO AMBUSH MY TEAMMATES AND YA THINK I'LL JUST LET IT SLIDE?" She did seem pretty angry. And she had a gun. Go figure.

"This is a war, Mishima-san," answered Hitomi coolly. She stepped forward with a confident expression. "It's not our fault you didn't prepare for any ambushes," she said with a smirk.

Bad move, Hitomi. Natsuru glanced from her to Akane, watching the situation from afar. Though Gewehr-users aren't as strong as Zauber-users, they are a lot faster. She'll just shoot you before you can attack. He saw how Akane's index finger traced the trigger of her weapon, eager to fire.

He nodded to himself. It was time to play the peacemaker.

He gulped and stepped up from behind, grabbing the attention of the group around him. "Mishima-san, I suggest you stop your actions immediately," he said with a collected expression. The red-haired Kämpfer looked at him like he was crazy and pointed her weapon at his head. "And you are?"

"Who I am is unimportant, but if you must know, I am Senou Natsuru." His false persona rattled the cores of everyone around him; it was a rather refreshing sight to see someone like him all composed like that. "As for what you are doing, I suggest you stop now."

She gritted her teeth. "And why's that?" she asked with venom in her voice.

"One," he began, his blue eyes glinting mysteriously. "According to the ratios of Red to Blue Kämpfer from the day before in the school, it was even until this morning. With the loss of three people, your team's numbers are now lower than the other. If we consider the amount of members skilled in battle, your side would lose numbers faster than the Blue, even if you take out Minagawa-san."

The Red Kämpfer made a "tch" sound but considered the possibility of such a factor. "Two," he continued stoically. "It's safe to assume that there are no other Red Kämpfers in school now, since no one had come to assist your teammates this morning. That would mean you're the only one left now. If you make a move, I have no doubt Minagawa-san's teammates would try to attack you as well."

"And three, if you do manage to get away with injuring Minagawa-san, who is a prominent Blue Zauber-user, I believe a certain someone might come after you." Ah, that was a sufficient reason to make her stop, right?

Akane smirked at the blue-haired boy and crept a bit closer to him. "Ya got a way with words, Natsuru." He raised his eyebrows when she said his name without honorifics. He opened his mouth to complain about not being in such a relationship with her, but she interrupted him with a devilish look. "But someone who's like you, who's not a Kämpfer, shouldn't mess with me."

Natsuru grew bold enough to smirk at her statement. "Oh really?" he said. His rebellious words sent her into a spiraling rage, causing her to pull the trigger. "Why you…!"

The next thing the Gewehr-user knew, she was face-down on the ground, her left hand being pulled back in a submission hold. Barely a moment before, she was about to pop a new hole in the guy's head but now she's on the ground with her gun made useless. The voice of the boy spoke from atop of her.

"Did you forget about your capabilities as a Kämpfer?" he whispered. He was oblivious to the fact that he was way too close for comfort, and that his breath on the back of her neck caused her to shiver. "When you're this close, it's easy to intercept your attacks, Akane." The way he added that final word, her name, made her feel strange inside. The heat of his breath on her neck when he said her name without any honorifics made it a whole lot worse, too.

"B-B-B-B-Baka!" she stuttered, blushing profoundly. "Y-You get off of me, right now!"

Satisfied that he had somehow broken her will to fight, he complied, pulling her up as he stood. Her face was entirely red and her body was shaking. Did I take it too far… he asked himself with a worried look on his face.

Seeing how she was hopelessly broken for a fight, Akane ran off, still completely red. She threw an angry look at him before disappearing from sight. Natsuru stood there, not expecting such a reaction from her, but did nothing about it. Kanji, Hitomi, Sakura, and the students who were watching the scene behind him were impressed how he had handled a potential casualty, most especially Hitomi herself.

Just as she was about to voice her appreciation, the sound of the school bell sounded, causing Natsuru to jolt back to class with a quick "I gotta go." She watched him run off before being tugged to class by Sakura.

As Natsuru ran at a rather fast pace, he took a good long look at his right arm, where his wristband lay covered by his sleeve. Yes, there was no doubt about it, about why he was able to intercept Akane like that. He had most definitely become a Kämpfer.

And he would have a lot more questions for that inugami back home.

TO BE CONTINUED…

**Author's Note**

This was re-uploaded for bigbeastboy. Formatting on italics has been lost. The status of this fanfiction is still unclear. For those who enjoyed reading it, here you go.


	2. The First Night

This fan fiction is written as an AR (alternate reality) that explores a different type of Kämpfer.

What if Kämpfers were more prominent in the world? What if Natsuru was not as thickheaded and narrow-minded about his choices? And what if he was chosen as the one and only Black Kämpfer, whose objective was to oppose the rule of the Moderators and forever stop their control over the Proxy Wars? This work attempts to share a storyline more focused on the Kämpfer battles and Natsuru's decisions than the original. Of course, if there were no pairings I might as well not write a fan-fiction for this so… harem? There will be several OCs in the later chapters, by the way.

NOTE: This is purely a work of fan-fiction and is in no way claiming ownership to any of its original characters.

**Chapter 2: The First Night**

Food-Deprived Dog watched the blue-haired boy nervously as he fiddled with the silver case in his hand. A devilish smile crept up across his face that made the stuffing inside the plushy shiver in fear. Visions of horrifying scenes raced through its head as it tried to guess what kind of sinister deed he would do to the Entrails Animal. There was no escape from the mad clutches of the Black Kämpfer, especially when he was like this.

"So, inugami…" he began as he glanced at his notebook. "I have a few questions for you to answer. You don't mind…," he said before shooting a bloodcurdling glare at the doll. "Do you?"

"N-No, please ask away!" Yeah. Natsuru's being very scary right now.

"Glad to know." The ominous atmosphere around him disappeared as he returned a cheery mood. "Okay, question one! I was informed by you that I was a Black Kämpfer. However, to my knowledge, there is NOT a Black team involved in the Proxy War, which is represented through our battles here. What is a Black Kämpfer?"

The doll looked nervously at the blue-haired teenager, who flipped the cover of the silver case in his hand. Taking the hint, Food-Deprived Dog began blabbering out the answer. "T-The Black Kämpfer are a group of Kämpfer that oppose the ideals of the Moderators! They are not involved in the battle between the Reds and Blues, but they are fighting against the Whites! That is why if you get seen by a White Kämpfer, they will attack you!" Natsuru took quick notes in his notebook with an automatic pencil.

"Exactly why are the Black Kämpfer against the Moderators?" he asked. The plushy remained quiet, not wanting to answer, but its resilience crumbled quickly as it saw the orange glow in his hand. "T-T-The Black Kämpfer do not believe that the Moderators have the right to control the war in their galaxy and wish to liberate it from their rule."

"Who are the Black Kämpfers?"

"They are a small group of Kämpfer who gained their abilities through artificial selection of the Kämpfer selection process. Since the Moderators refused to select those who could oppose their ideals, the Blacks had no choice but to simulate the powers of a Kämpfer through their own version of the Contract. That is why your Contract grants you several exceptions during your transformation!"

He nodded as he wrote some more notes down. This was good information. "Okay, good! Next question: What are the features of being a Black Kämpfer?" He glanced up at the plushy. "Make sure you include details."

The doll seemed to gulp before turning away. After a moment, one of its ears began to feel a warm, burning sensation. It snapped back to attention and began to speak. "As a Black Kämpfer, there are several differences in your abilities than in other Kämpfer!" Natsuru sat back down, closing the top of the silver case in his hand.

"First, you don't transform into a female version of yourself after initiating transformation. This is disadvantageous because you will be unable to access the most optimum form of your body." Natsuru shook his head. That won't be a disadvantage at all…

"Second, in order to successfully fight against the White Kämpfer, your physical capabilities are boosted more than that of the Reds and Blues. In case of a surprise attack, you also have access to these capabilities even without a transformation, although you will still be unable to use your items." Natsuru scribbled furiously into his notebook. This was good stuff he was getting out of a simple interrogation, er – questionnaire.

"Third, in order to successfully combat against the White Kämpfer's arsenal, you also have access to multiple items. It's better for you to get used to them all so you will reach your maximum potential!" Ara… that made sense, I guess…

"Hmm… is that all?" he asked with a mocking tone. No actually, he was very satisfied with this; it's these small things that really matter, right? The plushy scrutinized Natsuru with a curious gaze.

"I feel pretty satisfied with this right now." He got up and placed the silver case on his desk, walking towards the door. "Well, I've gotta make dinner, so… thanks, inugami." The door closed shut on its frame and the room was silent except for the doll hanging from the ceiling on a rope. It eyed the silver lighter before shuddering in remembering the moment before, when the blue-haired teenager "accidentally" lit the doll's ear on fire.

"Umm, Natsuru-san…? Can you let me down now?"

.

"Itadakimasu," he muttered as he put his hands together with the pair of chopsticks between his fingers. He began eating from the plates before him; steamed fish, vegetables, and even some tempura. As he ate, he thought about the information he had "kindly" received from the Entrails Animal.

He had become anxious to try out his new Kämpfer powers.

He tried to put it out of his mind, to ignore the constant voice present in his head that called to him. It wanted him to fight. But he couldn't, he wouldn't; not if it meant troubling Sakura. He chewed his food diligently as he fought the mental war in his head. There was no way he would go and fight.

He tried distracting himself, reminiscing about the days of his middle school life. Like how he had met Sakura Kaede, how nice and lady-like she acted, and how she had helped him with his school problems. And the day she became a white Kämpfer. And when she got injured after an angry Red Kämpfer shot her. And how useless he felt afterwards because he was just a simple human, with absolutely no ability to protect someone as nice and sweet as Sakura, despite having her kindness and gentleness in his life every day…

NO! The urge to fight boiled inside of him once again, threatening to spill over. There was no way he would go and risk being seen, or to risk fighting against the White Kämpfers.

The image of the middle school Sakura lying on the ground with a small pool of blood beside her came to his mind. It was pathetic how he couldn't stop her from being shot, how he couldn't share those two months of recovery with her. If that would happen to her now…

He shot up from his seat, his bowl of rice empty to the grain. He would not let something like that happen again. He will take down everyone who dares to attack Sakura, or anyone he cares for. But in order to do that… he had to find out how strong he was. Only then could he get better. A smile slowly crept onto the boy's face. Yes… he had to get stronger. For the sake of Sakura, he had to get as strong as he possible could.

"I'm going tonight," he said to himself.

.

He looked at his notebook and read the notes he had written about the things he should take care of if he wanted to go into Kämpfer mode. He concluded that needed some sort of disguise to keep the White Kämpfers off his back, just in case he gets seen. There were some ideas in his head about what to do about that at least.

He rummaged through his closet and pulled out a various assortments of clothing as he searched for "it."

After pulling out a large cardboard box, he ripped off the duct tape that lined the ends of the flaps and opened it. Inside were various assortments of winter clothing. He rummaged through the box as he looked for one of a particular kind. "Ah… there it is."

He pulled out a large, long, black coat from the box. It had big pockets here and there, and a seemingly oversized hood to go along with it. There were cords at seemingly random spots for adjusting various parts of the coat. "This'll do just fine," he thought with a nod.

He pulled out a pair of black gloves along with it, thinking it would be useful.

"Okay…" he said with a calm demeanor as he stood up onto his feet. "I've got to work on my transformations…" He thought for a moment on how he would just suddenly start using his powers like that. This is my power… so theoretically, if I want to transform, I can do so if I want to, he reasoned to himself. Somehow reassured with his reason, he closed his eyes and concentrated, willing himself to use his power to change.

A bright glow emitted from his Contract as he did so, and he opened his eyes.

His hair had grown black, as well as his previously blue irises. He stared at the mirror for a moment, taking in his new image as a Kämpfer. He had done it, somehow. His new look was quite different, as the fact that he would change at all didn't occur to him even. "Damn…" he muttered to himself as he turned away in shame. "I thought I wouldn't change at all." He ran his hand over his hair and sighed. At least it would be harder to recognize him, right?

He decided having his home wear underneath his disguise would hinder him a bit too much, so he decided to put on something more fitting. He pulled off his loose shirt and put on a muscle shirt. Having too many sleeves on at once could slow down my arm coordination, so this should do fine.

He put on the black long coat and gloves, pulling on the hood to cover his head and most of his face. The coat itself was a bit heavy and hot as it was made for winter use. However it provided the disguise he needed to be seen as a different person, to have an unknown identity. So even if somehow a White Kämpfer would have found him, he could escape and continue his life normally without much fear of being caught. The gloves were there just in case they tried finding him through fingerprints or something. Hey, one can never be too careful.

He quickly realized that his Contract began glowing on his wrist once again. His eyes widened when he saw his rather awkward appearance changed before his eyes. The bulky coat slimmed down around the abdomen and sleeves into something similar to his shirt from before. The hood remained, thankfully, as the entire coat would be useless without it. He felt a bit heavy at the bottom and saw a sort of loose cape running down from it. If he didn't know any better, he would have considered himself in cosplay, dressed to look like that Ichigo guy from Bleach. It took a moment to adjust to this new look but he eventually did.

"Hmm… now for my items…" he began. He paused for a moment before trying anything. Wait… if it's a Zauber, then… wouldn't the house go down? He shuddered and decided to wait for a fight before trying out his items. If transforming is this simple, then surely using his items is the same, correct?

With a nod to himself in front of a mirror, he left the house.

.

Okay… what am I looking for?

Natsuru wandered the dark, empty streets with his hood on. At this time of night, there were absolutely no people remaining outside. Since tomorrow was a weekend, he expected there to me more students out, but maybe he was wrong. He sighed, the hood sagging with him as he hung his head low.

The one and only time he had enough courage to turn into a Kämpfer to fight, there is no one to fight. Not to mention the danger of being spotted by a White at this time.

Well, I better leave before they see me, he thought to himself with a saddened expression underneath his hood. He finally decided to give up his search and began to walk back home.

The sound of a gunshot echoed through the quiet night, attracting the attention of the lone boy. He turned towards the direction of the noise and, without hesitation he began moving through the empty streets with great speed. He smirked underneath his hood, pleased with his newfound physical prowess. The wind blew into his black hair underneath his hood with his speed. As he continued running, he jerked to the path on the left, and then right as he neared the approximate location of the gunfire.

As he reached the area he recognized as the park, he felt the need to make a grand entrance. With a deep breath, he took one great leap upwards and found himself sailing dozens of meters in the air before landing soundlessly onto the ground on his feet. He looked around him to find out where exactly in the park he was located before it hit him.

He stood in the empty space in one of the sitting areas of the park, smack dab in the middle of a large circle of Kämpfers. They had all equipped their items and stood looking at him with confusion. There stood another girl wearing a light blue wristband close by, away from the rest of the circle. She watched him with suspicious eyes.

In any other case, Natsuru would have called her beautiful, someone unfit to be seen with his eyes. It wouldn't have surprised him if he learned that Kanji was studying her in his Bishoujo Research Club. She had black hair and a rather busty figure, which he tried to ignore. Her eyes were blue and quite confident, though it held a feeling of suspicion when they looked at him. Her skin was pale in the light and she was only a bit shorter than him. And she wore the female Seitetsu school uniform, which made him a bit nervous. He realized he was staring and tore his hungry eyes off of her, much their dismay.

A quick guess assumed that the Reds had ambushed this Blue. For the sake of experience… it's best to side with the Blue girl for now… he thought with a grimace. Not that he expected to fight several dozens of Red Kämpfers in his first fight. Or that he might be unintentionally interrupting an important strategical move by the team.

This isn't something I would be able to rough out with just punches… he thought as he looked side to side, taking note of the surroundings around him. He held out his gloved hand to his side and began to concentrate, hoping his theories from before would really work. My weapon… my weapon…

His Contract glowed briefly before a streak of dark light shot out from its surface and into his hand. It grew in size and changed its shape before slowly fading away. "So I'm a Schwert-type, hmm?" he muttered.

The sword he held was quite long; he estimated its length to be about two and a half meters from the tip of the blade to the end of the handle. The surface of the metal flashed brightly in the light of the nearby streetlamp. He twirled it with his hand expertly, though it was really his first time holding a weapon. He grasped it handle with one hand, despite it being meant for two, and brandished it at the Reds, who had taken a step back to avoid being within its immediate range.

The Blue Kämpfer beside him looked at the sword with admiration, but quickly cut off her staring when he glanced back. "So are you my friend, or are you my enemy?" she asked coldly. He glanced back to the Reds and spoke in the strongest voice he could muster. "I can't say whether or not I'm your enemy, but I am certainly here to help."

The end of her lips curled into a slight smile as she turned her back to his. "That's a good enough of an answer." She glanced back once more as she estimated the number of enemies around her. "May I know for your name?" she asked.

Natsuru smirked as he tightened his grip on his sword. "Names don't matter in the middle of a fight, now do they?" She took out her weapons as well and held them before her, readying herself for a fight.

"No, they don't."

.

The Red Kämpfer watched with shock as their numbers were cut down by the dozen. They had decided to attack their "target" tonight, and gathered their numbers to do so. The number of assembled Kämpfers went nearly to a hundred, all capable with their Gewehrs and Schwerts. This was supposed to be an easy win against that lone, Blue Schwert-user. But then that one came in.

Who was this guy?

He leapt into the middle of their ambush and seemed to have allied himself with "that" girl. He held a sword, so he was also probably a Schwert-user. But those two were on totally different levels from each other.

"She" was fast; in a moment, she had taken down three of their numbers in a burst of movement. Their numbers had to be this high to ensure the success of their attack. But that other one was a totally different story.

When that one moved, they couldn't even see where he moved, how he moved, or even how fast he moved until he was there. When he attacked, not only was it a beautiful slash that rivaled even the greatest of swordsmen from the past, but would send several of their number flying into the sky. And then, he would again, move with unperceivable speed, taking down more and more…

The Red Kämpfer watched in horror, unable to fend themselves against that black blur of a person. When he stopped and swung, those nearby would see the side of his hooded face, his eyes concealed, with only the lower part of his face showing. And it would almost always be in a smile. They did not know who this cloaked person was. But they knew he was an enemy. That person was a very powerful enemy who would annihilate them without a problem.

This was a nightmare. It had to be.

.

He dispersed his weapon and scanned the area for any more Red Kämpfers. He had managed to knock them out without getting them hurt somehow. The girl sat against a wall, her hand holding onto a bloodied cut on her arm. She sighed in relief. They're gone, now. Only she and the mysterious boy were left… good.

…

Wait…, this wasn't good at all. The girl looked over at her helper in the black long coat. His voice was quite masculine, so she assumed he was a male. And she knew she was a female. She was tried and injured after fighting about a fifth of the group of attackers. On the other hand, he seemed to be unscathed from the fight just now, despite the sheer amount of Kämpfers he had defeated. And he was a hormone-infested teenager as well, right? She fidgeted nervously, her hair sliding off her shoulders as she did so.

Natsuru turned to glance at the Blue he had fought with. If he wasn't trying to keep up a strong, mysterious, reliable personality right now, he would've had a nosebleed looking at her nervous form. She was positioned in a rather erotic way, with her legs folded up and her arm clutching her wound. The way she looked away to the side seemed rather cute, even if she seemed so strong before. But for the sake of his identity, and his morals, he shook his head of these thoughts and approached her.

She took in a sharp breath when he stopped in front of her. She saw that the hood managed to cover most of the important features of his face. So even if he did something, he could get away with it completely. His hand moved and she quickly turned her face away, eyes closed. If he was going to do something, it would be better if it was done quickly.

"Are you alright?" he asked in a concern tone. His hand was outstretched in front of him, offering to pull her up if needed. She looked at him with a surprised expression, hesitating to take his hand.

It took a moment, but she took his gloved hand in her grasp. She was quickly pulled up to her feet by a single tug, her free hand leaning against the wall beside her to keep her balance. She found herself a bit disappointed when he drew his hand back but kept it to herself; he had helped her well enough in one night, and it would be greedy to ask for anything more.

She took a step forward and fell against the wall as her right leg gave in to a shock of pain. He had caught her before she went back onto the ground and said with his concerned tone, "Your leg was injured?" She found herself leaning against him, smelling the mixed scent of his cologne and sweat.

"You know what?" he suddenly said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Why don't I take you back to your place?" She stood against him, dumfolded. He seemed to take notice of this and continued. "I mean, you're injured, so it would be difficult to return by yourself. And who knows how many more Red Kämpfers are left? It'd be dangerous, right?"

His words held an air of reason around them, much to her surprise. And he did seem like someone she could trust…

She nodded, yelping in surprise when she found herself lifted on his arms like a bride. "B-B-Baka, what are you doing? Let me down!" she cried as a red blush stained her pale face. He ignored her complaints and tried not to look at her. "Which way do you live?"

.

The girl rested on her bed and stared up at the ceiling of her home. It was dark and quiet. The conditions were was like how it was every day. Normally, after a fight like that, she would fall asleep even more quickly. But she couldn't. Not tonight.

He was still on her mind.

It was rather embarrassing how he had so majestically left her in front of her house, and how he acted so gentlemanly until the end. Even when she was in his strong arms, his scent seemed so soothing and musky, his voice so full of confidence, his personality so gentle yet mysterious…

She shook her head to clear out those thoughts. She couldn't think of this like this! It was completely against her character! Even if she wanted to see him again…, even if she was worried because she didn't know how he looked like or what his name was…, even if she wanted to cry because he might be gone for good…, even if…

NO!

She sat up on her bed. She will not let such a mystifying first encounter be the last! "I will find you," she declared boldly to no one in particular. "I will find you and see you again."

.

Natsuru sneezed as he walked into his home.

He tossed aside the black long coat and the leather gloves he wore, which instantly returned to their normal appearance as soon as they lost contact with his body. His hair and eyes had changed back to their natural blue color, signifying the dispersal of his transformation. He slumped into his bed, very tired but satisfied with his first night. He stared at the ceiling with tired eyes as he tried to remember something very important.

"Sangou…" he muttered to himself sleepily. "Where have I heard that name before…?"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Sangou Shizuku

This fan fiction is written as an AR (alternate reality) that explores a different type of Kämpfer.

What if Kämpfers were more prominent in the world? What if Natsuru was not as thickheaded and narrow-minded about his choices? And what if he was chosen as the one and only Black Kämpfer, whose objective was to oppose the rule of the Moderators and forever stop their control over the Proxy Wars? This work attempts to share a storyline more focused on the Kämpfer battles and Natsuru's decisions than the original. Of course, if there were no pairings I might as well not write a fan-fiction for this so… harem? There will be several OCs in the later chapters, by the way.

NOTE: This is purely a work of fan-fiction and is in no way claiming ownership to any of its original characters.

**Chapter 3: Sangou Shizuku**

Natsuru stopped a good distance from his school as he spotted a familiar figure standing beside the gates. Her long black hair seemed familiar to the teenager, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen her. Curious, he walked a bit closer in a nonchalant manner so that other people wouldn't think he was a stalker.

As the distance closed, her features became clearer to his sharper eyes. Soon, he was able to make out her blue, confident eyes and her familiarly busty figure, which he tried to ignore. She wore her Seitetsu school uniform with a dignified aura, as well as a Blue Kämpfer bracelet on her wrist. In fact, she was quite beautiful; no doubt Kanji had seen her previously and added her to his roster in the Bishoujo Research Club.

Wait… now that I think about it…

His face grew pale and he stopped in his tracks. It was her, the Kämpfer that he met and saved the night before in the park from the horde of Red Kämpfer. He knew she was in his school, but for her to be waiting outside… did she already know who he was?

"No, no, no," he muttered to himself. "This isn't good. If she knows, then everything will be ruined. This is bad… very bad. I'll get exposed to the White Kämpfer, and I'll be attacked by them and forced to fight back, or I'll die by their hands. I don't want that to happen just because of some girl waiting outside the school." He was tempted to back away and completely skip school altogether, at least for today, until a hand slapped him in the back.

"Hey, Natsuru!" exclaimed a cheery Kanji from behind. He eyed the person who was standing beside the gates of the school and snickered. "Finally got your eyes on someone else, I see. That's good, but to go after her… well, you're still stuck in the same situation, man."

Wait a moment. That right, Kanji would know who she is! If I play me cards right, then maybe…

"Hey, Kanji," spoke Natsuru. He gestured towards the girl who was leaning against the gates. "Are you saying you know who she is?" He tried to act authentically interested in her, though in honesty he felt a tinge of fear. That and disgust for betraying his faithfulness to Sakura.

"Of course, man! She's the student council president, Sangou Shizuku. Third year, top-ranked beauty, and she's also one of the Blue Kämpfer captains. Man, it'll take you years just to get her to notice someone like you." Ouch. He's got a way with words, doesn't he?

"Yeah… right," replied Natsuru in false downheartedness. Good… I've got some basic information about her. But I feel pretty pathetic for not knowing who the Kaiichou was for our school.

Kanji slapped his friend in the back again to cheer him up, as if regretting putting him down like that. "H-Hey, man, cheer up. The president might not notice you, but you've got Kaede… that's enough, right?" He said the last part with a bit of malice in his voice. Of course it was enough considering Natsuru wasn't actually interested in the Blue Kämpfer.

The duo continued onward to school. Natsuru was still quite nervous at being exposed by her, but kept his appearance as cool as possible. Kanji, on the other hand, had absolutely no clue what was up, and was simply chatting away about the new girls he took photos of with his camera. God, this guy's a freak.

As they passed the gates, Shizuku glanced at them. "Hey, you there," she called.

Kanji glanced behind him and flustered when he saw her approach him. He fumbled for his camera in his bag, just in case he saw an opportunity to take some photos of her. "Y-Yes, Kaiichou? I-Is there something wrong?" he questioned nervously. She frowned at him and looked behind to see Natsuru waiting for Kanji, who had successfully extracted the device and awaited the chance to use it. She walked up to the blue-haired teenager.

"You there," she said before holding up a wallet. "You dropped this."

His brow rose in surprise and he pat his free hand on his pocket; his wallet was indeed missing. With a sigh, he stepped up and accepted it with a smile. "Thanks," he muttered before turning away. Kanji watched sadly as Shizuku nodded and returned to her spot next to the gate while Natsuru walked into the school without glancing back. She didn't spot his relieved expression when he turned away, Kanji following him in a pathetic state.

Oh my God, that was a close call, he thought with a sweat.

.

He didn't come.

Shizuku looked dejectedly out the window of her student council office in disappointment. It was just a hunch for her to wait for him at this school, as there are only a few of them around the area. Considering his approximate age and for him to have appeared in the park, Seitetsu was the only possible location. But perhaps intuition shouldn't be relied upon over common logic. After all, a person with that capability would have been found by now.

"Oi, Shizuku-san, what's wrong?" called a voice. Shizuku had been so occupied with her thoughts that she had not noticed the two who had walked in.

"Nakao-chan… Hitomi-chan…" she muttered. The two stood at the doorway, the former looking at Shizuku with a look mixed with worry and irritation. "Sorry, I didn't hear you two come in. You surprised me."

Nakao raised her brow. "Hmm… Shizuku was surprised," she repeated. "Is there something wrong? It's not that I can't take over for you if there is, but if you're sick, it'd be bad for us." Hitomi looked over at her fellow Blue Kämpfer with a bored expression and shook her head.

"Shizuku-san, let's go up to the roof. Some fresh air should wake you up," said Hitomi.

The student council president hesitated but nodded her head before following the two out.

.

Natsuru watched the Kämpfer fight below from his view on the rooftop on the boy's side of the school. He had left Kanji to his devices during the break period so the guy can fanatically take pictures of the Kämpfer in peace. As the members of the two sides clashed, the blue-haired teenager felt a shiver run down his spine. It was from his Kämpfer side, which he only just gotten used to. With his enhanced strength, speed, perception, and powers, he really wanted to leap down there and join in on the fight, but he couldn't even if he had brought his disguise.

He looked away from the fight to the person who stood behind him, balancing on the edge of the roof. He frowned worriedly at her, but couldn't help to admire her beauty as she observed the battle.

"Isn't this a great spot, Natsuru-san?" she said, not once taking her light green eyes off the Kämpfer below.

"It's alright…" he responded as he looked back down on the battle, his face a bit red. It was only by a stroke of luck was he on the rooftop soon after the fight began, and another wave when Sakura came up to observe. He was alone with her… and was enjoying every moment of it. Oh, how Kanji was going to kill him.

"Hmm…? What happened, Natsuru-san? You've suddenly grown quiet," she inquired as she turned to look at him.

"Oh, it's nothing." He enjoyed simply being near her more than talking to her, as he wouldn't know what to say. After all, she was a White Kämpfer and one of the school's most popular girls and he was just a common student who had only recently become a Kämpfer. The different in their school caste were in entirely different leagues!

"Oh? Sakura-san is here as well," said Hitomi as she spotted the White Kämpfer after opening the door to the roof. Natsuru clenched his teeth in irritation and his heart felt like it was falling down an endless pit; his alone time with Sakura was ruined, and it was quite a rare event. He did even bother to turn around as she, Nakao, and Shizuku approached the White Kämpfer, who greeted them happily as she leapt down from the ledge.

"Hitomi-chan! Ah, Nakao-chan and Shizuku-chan, too~" she said as she hugged each one of them. Nakao noticed the blue-haired teenager nearby and nudged Shizuku with her elbow. The student council president seemed to recognize him as the boy she picked up the wallet for in the morning. Hitomi also seemed to recall him from the day before.

"It's you," the two stated at the same time before glancing at each other. They didn't know he was acquainted with Sakura, nor did they know he was someone she would consider being around with. Nakao simply stood there, feeling left out as she had not met the blue-haired teenager before. The student council president looked at Natsuru, and then to Sakura, and then back again. "We've met before… what's your name?"

"Senou Natsuru," he said blankly. Shizuku sensed the disappointment in his voice and something seemed to click in her head. And, of course, she felt the need to twist it in a way that would be amusing to her.

"Perhaps we should go back," said Shizuku with a devious smile. "We're getting in the way of Sakura's boyfriend."

"W-W-What are you talking about, Shizuku-chan? Natsuru-san isn't my boyfriend!" Sakura denied vehemently. "He's just someone I knew from my old school! Other than seeing him occasionally at the bus stop to school, I don't meet with him! This time was just a coincidence! I swear!" She was so caught up with her explanation that she didn't notice Natsuru spit blood as her words stabbed into him. He found support against the railing, but it still took all his willpower to resist from completely collapsing in heartbreak.

Hitomi seemed to be the only one who noticed and tried to change the topic. She nervously stepped up to the rail near the edge of the roof closest to the group.

"So, do you think someone should go down there?" she asked as she peered over at the battle. The fight had been dragging on for nearly an hour now; the Reds, who had amassed many Gewehr-users and a Zauber, had the upper hand against the Blues, who were slightly fewer in number and only contained Schwert Kämpfer. Kämpfer often stayed out of battles after they have been initiated unless they were confident in winning it if they served as reinforcements. However, in some extremely large battles, which were often affectionately called "mini-wars", constant waves of reinforcements were commonly deployed. This was almost at that scale.

The other two Blue Kämpfers walked over to see the spectacle. Nakao and Hitomi seemed especially eager to leap into the fray, but were thoroughly surprised when they saw Shizuku step up as well.

"Maybe a fight will pull me together," she muttered as she closed her eyes. The inner part of her hair turned into a silvery white as she entered her Kämpfer form. Drawing her daggers from thin air, Shizuku glanced over at the other two. "What are you two waiting for? If we don't go in, our side might lose."

Sakura and even Natsuru were startled. From what he recalled the previous night, Shizuku was quite a fearsome fighter, wielding her Schwert with skill. He had seen the destructive power of Hitomi's Zauber before, and he was sure that Nakao was on some similar strength with her two peers. For the three to be fighting in the same party at once… it was sure to be an easy victory. No… not an easy victory, as it was too much of an understatement. It would be a massacre.

Hitomi sneered and activated her Zauber, creating a ball of lightning that crackled in her hands. Nakao created what appeared to be a saber and leapt onto the railing before the other two followed suit. With a nod, the three jumped down with Hitomi blasting away at whatever group of Red Kämpfer to be unlucky enough to be targeted.

As they landed, spectators from the school who were fans of the Blues cheered wildly, alerting the remaining Kämpfer to their presence. Bolts of lightning shot their way, causing disarray within the groups of Red Kämpfer.

I see… thought Natsuru as he observed the three. Zauber-users are the slowest to attack, but they are capable of crippling large groups each attack. Hitomi is using her Zauber to target the largest concentrations of enemies to maximize the effects of her slower attacks.

"Isn't this exciting, Natsuru-san?" said Sakura as she watched with him. He nodded with a slight grin.

The remaining Red Kämpfer, almost all of them using Gewehr items, began to unleash their rounds upon the three. Shizuku and Nakao quickly snapped into action, deflecting the incoming shots with their Schwert items and charging in for the attack. They moved at an extremely fast speed; the distance between the groups, which had been at about two dozen or so meters, had been closed in a span of only seconds.

A few of the Red Kämpfer saw this and pulled back to behind the group only to find that the Zauber bombardment by Hitomi was focused there even more. They glanced at the two Schwert Kämpfer with a hint of fear in their eyes as they began to assault them with quick attacks.

The job of Gewehr-users is to suppress the enemy with ranged attacks. They have to attack in coordination to be effective, but they can force their enemies to find cover. But there's a problem with the Reds this time.

The Red Kämpfer scattered in an attempt to buy time for more shots. Not that that did any good, since Nakao and Shizuku quickly avoided and deflected the shots as they struck at the closest enemies. Natsuru was almost impressed. The problem with the Reds is that the Gewehr need to maintain distance to be effective… the Schwert Kämpfer, on the other hand, are always on the frontline. They move the fastest so they can intercept the enemy before they can appropriately organize an assault. They are like the shields for the rest of the Kämpfer. And when they're within the enemy's territory…

The three Blue Kämpfers stood victorious among the defeated Red Kämpfer. Some students were already bringing their injured friends inside the building to heal up. They finished the battle as fast as they entered.

Well, let's just say they did a good job, he finished as cheers erupted from the students in the school.

.

Akane watched from the building entrance near the shoe lockers. She bit her lip in anger as she saw the last of her comrades being carried back into the building. It was another battle lost for the Red Kämpfers, despite the efficiency of the plan and the size of the force. If it wasn't for those damned Captains, the Reds would've finally done some major damage against their rivals. Now the situation was a complete reversal!

"Damn it…" she muttered as she tore away from the sight. A set of bandages were wrapped around her waist and midsection; the results of being hit by one of Hitomi's lightning attacks. The thought of that only made her even angrier.

Sakura practically jumped from the stairs and ran past Akane, with Natsuru trailing unenthusiastically behind her. The three Blue Kämpfers who had only just entered the building were surprised when they saw the White Kämpfer leap up at them. Hitomi was the unlucky one to collide with her.

"S-Sakura-san?" she cried out in dismay. "Calm down! We get it already!"

"You guys won! That was so amazing! I haven't seen something that spectacular since last year!" said the White Kämpfer excitedly. "I didn't know you knew how to use your Zauber that effectively! You're going to do great here even after Shizuku-chan and Nakao-chan graduate! Keep beating up the Reds here!" As she said this, Akane stopped in her tracks, her fists clenched and her body shaking with growing anger at the four.

Natsuru simply stood at the base of the stairs, uninterested in conversing with them.

Sakura continued to shower the three with praises as Natsuru started back up the stairs until the Red Kämpfer could take no more. "CAN YOU JUST SHUT UP ALREADY?" she roared, whipping out her gun straight at the White Kämpfer. Shizuku rushed in to try and deflect the incoming shot, realizing she would be too late nonetheless, when a hand reached out and grabbed the Red Kämpfer.

With a quick motion, Natsuru had completely flipped the girl in the air with an overhead throw and thrust her onto the ground, hard. He stepped on her Gewehr item and glared down dangerously at Akane, his face twitching in irritation. His eyes communicated his thoughts well enough as he watched her regain her senses and struggle. She only got the message when she glanced up to yell at him and immediately stopped all efforts of resistance. "If you ever try to hurt Sakura-san again, I will kill you," he growled darkly.

His tone sent shivers down their spines and caused a pair of light red eyes to widen in fear. Even if she was at his mercy, he stepped off of her handgun when he was sure that she wouldn't try to retaliate and walked back upstairs without another word.

They watched him leave in shock and stood there for a moment before Akane snapped back to attention, dashing up the girl's staircase. Nakao and Shizuku didn't try to stop her. Hitomi nudged the still stunned Sakura with a slight smirk.

"Some boyfriend you got there," she laughed sheepishly.

.

Not good… I acted on reflex. I'm practically asking to be caught.

Natsuru was headed up the steps back to class, hoping that they weren't following behind him. When he reached his room, he was greeted by an enthusiastic Kanji, who was happily prancing around with his camera. Natsuru gave him a strange look as he sat in his seat.

"So many pictures~" he chanted merrily. No need to ask.

With a few more minutes to spare, Natsuru signed in boredom. He looked out the window to where the battle had taken place. There were a few spots around the courtyard that had been hit directly with Hitomi's lightning, but other than that, there wasn't much damage. Other than on all the bodies that were carried in, he thought. Those three were quite something…

As class began, he smirked a bit as a stray thought entered his mind. He shook it off as his teacher began the class, but it lingered in the back of his head.

It'd be nice if I could fight them.

.

Shizuku sighed.

An uncomfortable feeling still remained in her even as she sat in her office with the other two, who had settled down after the fight in her office. Apparently, they had visited only to avoid going to class. As she was signing various forms for clubs and trips, Hitomi played a video game on a handheld console while Nakao practiced with her saber. The Zauber-user glanced at the student council president and noticed her stern expression.

"Is there something wrong, Shizuku-san?" she inquired.

She snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. "No… it's nothing," she said. "And Hitomi-chan… you shouldn't play with video games at school. I might have to confiscate it."

Nakao chuckled as Hitomi pouted and put the device away. Shizuku resumed to her work when Hitomi spoke up again. "Well? You still haven't told us anything, Shizuku," she said. "And don't try to say 'it's nothing' again, because we all know there's something up with you. You don't fight a lot, after all…" She stared intently at her, causing the student council president to frown. Nakao stopped and glanced at her too.

"Fine," she said as she put down her papers and looked up at the two. She told them the story of what had happened the night before, how she had left the school late at night after completing all the paperwork when she was ambushed by Red Kämpfer. Surrounded, and then how a person in black had appeared and not only offered to help her, but also ended up escorting her home safely. The actual events seemed to have lasted forever in her head as it replayed over and over again, but she was able to tell them in a span of four minutes.

"May I ask you two to do something for me?" she asked after she had explained everything. "I've thinking about this, and I need to meet him again. There are some things I have to ask him… especially about his identity. But I might need assistance in doing so. So I want to ask you two to help."

"Of course," they said as they nodded. "We're friends, after all."

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day, and they said their goodbyes. The door shut behind them and she looked up at the ceiling, realizing why she had felt like this. It was because back there, I felt weak and exposed. And even then he didn't do anything. Somehow… that seems to have left an impression on me.

With a breath, she looked back down on her desk, at all the work she had left and resumed her task.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	4. Rebels of the Red

NOTE: This is purely a work of fan-fiction and is in no way claiming ownership to any of its original characters.

**Chapter 4: The Rebels of the Red**

It was finally the weekend for the students of Seitetsu.

For Senou Natsuru, it was another day for him to learn about the Black Kämpfer powers that were gifted to him by… the inugami, he guessed. Since his last fight against the Red Kämpfer alongside Sangou Shizuku, a captain of the Blue Kämpfers in his school and the student council president, he had not found an opportunity to use them. In fact, though he had been a Black Kämpfer for approximately six days, he had only exercised his power once.

It's disgusting. This is really, really disgusting.

For Senou Natsuru, the recent days have been a nightmare for him. Though he was able to pleasantly witness several battles in school between the Red and Blue Kämpfers, he always felt something missing. And it was only now he was able to place what that was.

Boredom… the boredom that comes when one is a Kämpfer unable to participate in Kämpfer battles. With the restrictions of being discovered by the White Kämpfer, the opportunities to fight, spar, or even practice alone were slim to none. In fact, Natsuru was beginning to think that the fight with his student council president against those Red Kämpfers was founded on sheer luck, a luck that the blue-haired, battle-hungry teenager desperately needed right now. How can he do it? How can he fight to his content without the fear of the White Kämpfer finding his identity?

In a fit of anger, he picked up the thing closest to him in his room and flung it against the opposite wall.

"N-Natsuru-san, what the hell?" shouted the inugami as it pushed its cotton-filled body off the floor. Natsuru was too engrossed with his frustration to notice that he had thrown his messenger against the wall. Though they hadn't known each other for very long, Food-Deprived Dog had quickly learned to never bother the blue-haired teenager when he was like this. Well, unless it wanted a charred limb or two.

He slumped onto his bed facing the ceiling and stared at the black bracelet on his wrist, shining in the sunlight. The sound of the doorbell snapped him from his trance, causing him to pull on the two wristbands placed on his desk and answer the door. His eyes widened in shock when he saw his visitor standing in a victory pose before him.

"M-M-Mikoto?" he said nervously as he backed away from the entrance. "W-What are you doing here? I thought you were going to Hawaii or something…"

"Hey, that's not how you treat your childhood friend!" she said, crying fake tears as she sensed his discomfort. She stepped inside and shut the door behind her, smiling a toothy smile as she decided he wasn't fooled. "I came back because I heard the Kämpfer battles here got interesting again! Ah— don't worry, Natsuru! I'll make sure you get a good seat when I start participating in fights here again!" She punched into the air as if to show off her red Kämpfer bracelet.

"S-So that means… you're staying now?" he asked, resisting the urge to cry. It wasn't as if he hated the young archeologist; they were, after all, childhood friends. However now that perhaps the most eccentric, err… energetic person he knew was back in his life, it meant…

There's no way I can turn Kämpfer again, is there?

He sighed before looked back up, only to see that she had disappeared from sight. His face twitched in irritation before he quickly turned back. She was already starting, wasn't she?

"H-Hey, Mikoto!" he shouted desperately as he rushed to the kitchen. "I-I know you're excited to be back and all, but I'm not ready to take your curry hell yet!" He stopped when he spotted her near the stove, where a ridiculously large pot bubbled over the heat. He cursed himself silently and smacked his face, realizing that he had come too late. The smell of curry caused his stomach to rumble, but that was only the first sign. He knew that, before long, the devil known as 'Kondo Mikoto' would be shoving plate after plate of curry down his throat.

Perhaps next time, I should barricade the kitchen?

.

It was a hellish afternoon.

Mikoto bounced through the streets like a high-powered superball, gazing through the windows of stores with great enthusiasm. Far, far behind her was a tired Natsuru, who wore an 'is-this-not-enough?' expression as he carried several boxes and bags in his arms. He never know clothing and accessories could ever mount to such weight, as his arms were about to fall off. His wallet didn't seem very happy about this, either. The people around him were oblivious to his despair, that is, except for the few who were unfortunate enough to be in a similar situation.

"There's more?" he shouted in disbelief as he saw her run into another store. He could've sworn she was doing this on purpose. What was that mocking grin she had when she dashed in?

Giving up, he simply sat on a wooden bench outside and waited for her to return. He wouldn't be surprised if she decided to raid the other stores nearby as well. If he waited outside, not only could he avoid having to stand in the lingerie section again, but maybe the payment, too.

"Hah, but still, to get stuck with her for the whole day," he murmured.

"What's wrong with hanging out with me?" shouted Mikoto, who had stealthily appeared beside him on the bench, glaring at him accusingly. "You weren't behind me, so I thought you ran away," she added as he opened his mouth to speak. "Don't underestimate me, Natsuru. You won't escape me."

Ah hah ha… so she knows she is torturing me.

Taking him by the collar, she stormed into the crowds, dragging the blue-haired boy with her. "You used to be so quiet and obedient," she said with a pout, "But now you're complaining all the time. What happened?" When he didn't respond, she glanced back at him. It appeared that he did not hear a word she said.

"Hey! I'm trying to make you a better person and you're just ignoring me?" she said, her words falling on deaf ears. Noticing that her childhood friend was staring straight ahead, she followed his stare.

The infamous Red Kämpfer, Akane, stepped out of the crowds with a broad grin beside Mikoto. "Hey! Ya didn't tell me you were back!" She gave her a familiar high-five with her free hand; the other held her gun. Mikoto seemed surprised at meeting her and chatted a bit. Natsuru had been trying to creep away from the two, but a firm yank on his shirt collar from Mikoto pulled him back to her. It was then Akane noticed him and frowned inquisitively.

"Ah, right," Mikoto said as she pulled him closer, "this is Natsuru. I knew him since I was a kid. He's at the rebellious age now, but he'll do anything for me."

Bullshit.

Akane took a good look at Natsuru before prodding his throat with her weapon upon recognizing him. Natsuru gulped uneasily as he looked away from her bloodthirsty glare. "What are ya, a stalker?" she muttered dangerously. "If ye are, then no one'll mind me poppin' yer head off. Scratch dat—either way I'll be shootin' ya."

"Eh, you know Natsuru?"

"Yeah… this guy molested me in fronta da school," growled Akane. She pressed the weapon harder into his neck, eager to make him more uncomfortable. "Ya know, it's been embarrassin' to show myself 'round since then," she hissed.

"Tch, who'd want to touch a crazy, sadistic bitch like you?" he snapped back, his voice slightly strained due to the gun against his windpipe. His unexpected retort stunned her for a few seconds before she shoved the weapon even harder against him. Her eyes almost smoked with flames as they flashed angrily at him. But his patience had run out, having been slowly consumed in his time with Mikoto, and he continued to insult her. He added: "Besides, a weakling like you have nothing more to be embarrassed about after being beaten three… no, was it four times?"

His head twisted to the side as she struck him with her pistol. Mikoto, who had been holding his collar, dropped him in surprise and grabbed the gun. "Calm down, Akane-chan!" she pleaded, "He didn't mean it!"

"YA LITTLE SON-OF-A-BITCH! I'LL FUCKIN' KILL YOU!" she bellowed as she pried her weapon from Mikoto's hands. Just as she aimed it at him, a bolt of light struck the nozzle of the gun, causing her to miss her intended target. And from that direction, a familiar voice shouted at them.

"What the hell is this about?"

.

In a small café, Sayaka Nakao sipped a small porcelain cup of tea. Her hair was tied into neat bundle that hung behind her at waist length. In a white blouse and shorts, she resembled any normal beauty spending time outside. She got up from her seat and placed a generous tip on the table.

Her Blue Kämpfer bracelet gleamed in the sunlight, but was largely ignored.

"Where is that Hitomi?" she seethed as she exited the café. She and the Zauber-user had agreed to assist their council president in her dilemma and had come out to the busiest district in the area to gather information. But now Hitomi had disappeared, having probably forgotten her duty.

When Nakao entered the street, she was met with the ocean of people she had left only moments ago. It was only through strenuous efforts and her increased ability as a Kämpfer she was able to make her way through the masses to the stores, where she predicted her friend would be. But she had not expected to hear a gunshot sound from the direction she was headed to, as well as see a flash of light. A scream soon followed.

In an instant, the 'ocean' around her became a raging sea of panic. She muttered something to herself before transforming into her Kämpfer form and leaping onto the roof of one of the stores.

Running on the roofs, she reached the location in under a minute. The area was relatively clear now that the last people were rounding the corner, eager to vacate the area. The only people left were grouped near the benches. And sure enough, one of them was Hitomi, who stood with two large paper bags beside her.

Her hand was aimed at a Red Kämpfer, one Nakao recognized as Mishima Akane. A certain blue-haired teenager lay on the ground, clutching his shoulder, as a familiar girl stood beside him.

It was a scene that only smelled of trouble.

Nakao leapt back onto the ground and charged between Hitomi and the Red Kämpfer, her saber ready. She shot a glare at her. "What the hell happened here?" she growled harshly.

Natsuru regained his senses and ran from the group, his hand never leaving his right shoulder. He clenched his teeth as to keep himself from crying out in pain. His arm bled profusely as he made his way through the empty streets before finally stopping several blocks away.

In a way, he appreciated the fact that the bullet hit his shoulder instead of his heart, where the gun was aimed at. But he was quite angry, no, enraged at a certain Red Kämpfer. He was simply stating the truth, the truth that she was unable to accept. And she deserved it as well for being such a troublemaker and letting her emotions overtake her ability to make good decisions. So why was he shot when he did nothing wrong?

A small, mad laugh escaped his lips.

"Punishment," he hissed as his Kämpfer bracelet glowed, "is in order."

.

Hitomi watched Natsuru run off from the corner of her eye. Akane noticed him escape and tried to pursue, but Hitomi sent a bolt of lightning in her way, cutting her off. The redhead rounded to face her, her red eyes burning with fury.

"STAY DA FUCK OUTTA MY WAY, HITOMI!" she bellowed, but the Zauber-user refused to move.

Nakao remained at the ready, glancing from the drops of blood where the blue-haired teenager had been moments before. She gave a hard look at Akane, then at Mikoto, and finally at her fellow Blue Kämpfer. "What happened here?" she asked. "You were supposed to at the café, but now I find you shopping, and… now fighting. I demand an explanation."

The green-haired girl shot a look at Nakao. "Mishima shot the guy," she said bluntly.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! DAT ASSHOLE DESERVED IT!"

"Silence, you!" shouted Nakao as she brandished her weapon aggressively at the Red Kämpfer. "You already know of the laws! You harmed a defenseless civilian, so you must be arrested!"

"I SAID SHUT UP, DAMN IT!" she screamed as she whipped her gun towards the two. She began to fire upon them, forcing Nakao back as she tried to deflect the shots. Hitomi, who was being protected by Nakao, sent a bolt of lightning towards the Gewehr-user. Mikoto, who had been in shock at what had just happened, snapped back to attention at the sound of gunfire and transformed in an instant.

Her short, silver hair fluttered a bit as she knocked her friend out of the way. "Why did you have to shoot him, Akane-chan?" she cried, confused on which side to pick.

She couldn't hear a response as Nakao swept her saber at the two, forcing the archeologist to quickly summon her weapon. A katana formed in her hands and parried the strike the second it near her. With an irritated expression, she got back onto her feet, pulling Akane with her.

"Leave us alone!" Mikoto hissed. She held her katana readily incase Nakao were to attack.

The two Blue Kämpfers didn't budge. "Personally, I don't know that guy," said Hitomi as she charged her Zauber in her hands until it turned bright blue, "but I can't ignore what you just did to him."

"I can't either!" shouted Nakao as she lunged forward.

Mikoto managed to fend off a burst of rapid saber thrusts with her katana before delivering a powerful downward slash at her opponent. The blade missed and struck the ground, splitting the concrete a bit before the silver-haired Kämpfer went onto the offensive. A steady spread of gunshots was released at the two Blue Kämpfers, buying time for Mikoto to close in on Hitomi, who was maneuvering to evade the shots. Noticing their tactic, she shot a powerful bolt of lightning at Akane, who barely evaded it by rolling to the side, her weapon continuing to shoot as she did so.

Nakao sped through the hail of bullets and, with a lightning-fast series of attacks, struck Mikoto several times before she could reach Hitomi. The younger Blue Kämpfer chuckled a bit in appreciation and sent several bolts of lightning in the area the Red Gewehr-user stood, throwing dust into the air and stopping the weapon fire.

Unable to protect herself from all the near-invisible attacks aimed at her, Mikoto slashed at Nakao, sustaining more wounds in the process but forcing Nakao to make distance between them.

Akane stumbled out of the smoke. Some dust had gotten into her eye and lungs, but she was otherwise unscathed by the Zauber attacks. She resumed her fire, forcing the two Blue Kämpfers to continue avoiding her shots. Mikoto, on the other hand, stood with her katana in hand, her violet eyes tracking her Zauber enemy intently. In a split second, she shot forward, her sword readied.

Nakao quickly intercepted her with her furious saber strikes.

Mikoto swung her sword with great force, cleaving through the air and leaving a deep gash in the concrete walls of the stores nearby. Anticipating this move, Hitomi evaded by running halfway up the façade of a nearby store while Nakao simply leapt in the air. A bolt of lightning prevented Mikoto from continuing her attacks.

Akane growled as her shots were being evaded. "Tch, havin' ta switch tactics here," she muttered to herself before running into the battle, "It really pisses me off!"

.

A black blur sailed through the air in a single bound and landed on a tall building overlooking the area. Natsuru watched the battle occurring between the four with a stern expression before disappearing.

.

"Decreasing your distance with us to increase your accuracy," said Nakao as she retreated from her position near the Red Kämpfers. She bent her legs as she landed before pushing off the ground, using the force added with her speed to rocket at the Gewehr-user. "However, that just exposes your position to me!"

Mikoto glared at Hitomi as lightning bolts rained at her position. She dashed past them and slashed at the green-haired Zauber-user, only to miss as she ducked underneath.

"You're wide open~ " she chirped before shooting a blast of lighting straight into Mikoto. The silver-haired Kämpfer gritted her teeth as she flew back, landing a few meters from where Akane, who was also quite worn out, sat. The Blue Schwert-user stood with the blade of her saber against the Gewehr-user's neck. She eyed her coldly.

"A White Kämpfer will be informed, Mishima," said Nakao as she turned away from Akane. "In accordance with the laws, I will give you one day to notify your close ones. Be prepared by then."

Nakao and Hitomi departed from the scene. Akane sat on the ground with her face downcast. "Hey… aren't ya two bein' a little naïve?" she muttered.

Nakao glanced behind her.

"Did ya forget? Red Kämpfers never travel alone."

The word 'alone' seemed to be a keyword as multiple Red Kämpfers emerged from the stores around them. Nakao immediately readied her weapon and stood back-to-back with Hitomi, who also began to charge her Zauber. Though the two had managed to defeat Akane and Mikoto without sustaining much damage, both were breathing heavily as they had exhausted much of their energy from before.

"Heh, pulling out reinforcements now, huh?" said Hitomi as she glanced at her new opponents. Her voice had a hint of nervousness in it. "It would've been better to do that before, you know!"

"It's only natural dat you two didn't expect dis. I'm da tactian-type, 'fter all," replied Akane before she laughed. "B'sides, 'gainst you two, our numbers had to be deployed like dis. A ratio o' bout thirty ta one should be good now, right?" She chuckled as she stood, her legs shaking. Her red eyes watched them defiantly. "Well… it's our win." At her hidden signal, the Red Kämpfer, composed mostly of Schwert and Gewehr-types but also a few Zauber, attacked.

A black blur impacted the ground next to the two Blue Kämpfers, who braced themselves for an overwhelming assault. At the sudden event, the Red Kämpfers collectively stopped in surprise and watched confusedly.

And from the plume of dust, a lone hooded figure emerged.

.


End file.
